This invention generally relates to the art of optical fibers and, particularly, to a holding assembly for use in a system of cross-connecting or reorganizing the individual optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons.
Fiber optic circuitry is increasingly being used in electronics systems where circuit density is ever-increasing and is difficult to provide with known electrically wired circuitry. An optical fiber circuit is formed by a plurality of optical fibers carried by a dielectric, and the ends of the fibers are interconnected to various forms of connectors or other optical transmission devices. A fiber optic circuit may range from a simple cable which includes a plurality of optical fibers surrounded by an outer cladding or tubular dielectric to a more sophisticated optical backplane or flat fiber optic circuit formed by a plurality of optical fibers mounted on a substrate in a given pattern or circuit geometry.
One type of optical fiber circuit is produced in a ribbonized configuration wherein a row of optical fibers are disposed in a side-by-side parallel array and coated with a matrix to hold the fibers in the ribbonized configuration. In the United States, a twelve-fiber ribbon has fairly become the standard. In other foreign countries, the standard may range from as a low as four to as high as twenty-four fibers per ribbon. Multi-fibers ribbons and connectors have a wide range of applications in fiber optic communication systems. For instance, optical splitters, optical switches, routers, combiners and other systems have input fiber optic ribbons and output fiber optic ribbons.
With various applications such as those described above, the individual optical fibers of input fiber optic ribbons and output fiber optic ribbons are cross-connected or reorganized whereby the individual optical fibers of a single input ribbon may be separated and reorganized into multiple or different output ribbons. The individual optical fibers are cross-connected or reorganized in what has been called a xe2x80x9cmixing zonexe2x80x9d between the input and output ribbons. The present invention is directed to various improvements in this concept of cross-connecting or reorganizing the individual optical fibers of a plurality of input and output ribbons.
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved holding assembly for cross-connected or reorganized optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons, wherein a plurality of input ribbons lead to an input end of a reorganizing section of loose fibers, and with a plurality of output ribbons leading from an output end of the reorganizing section.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the holding assembly includes a sleeve element surrounding the loose fibers at the reorganizing section. A ribbon holder is disposed at least at one end of the sleeve element. The ribbon holder has an interior rectangular through passage in which a plurality of ribbons can be placed in a side-by-side parallel arrangement. An exterior datum means is provided at one side of the ribbon holder to identify one side of the interior rectangular through passage, whereby the ribbons can be placed in the ribbon holder in specific orientations relative to the datum means.
As disclosed herein, the ribbon holder includes a cover to allow access to the through passage whereby the ribbons can be placed into the passage transversely thereof. The cover is hinged to the ribbon holder. Preferably, the ribbon holder is molded of plastic material, with the cover being molded integrally therewith by a living hinge.
According to an aspect of the invention, the datum means is formed by a flat surface on the exterior of the ribbon holder. The exterior flat surface is generally parallel to the one side of the interior rectangular through passage. The exterior of the ribbon holder is generally cylindrical except for the flat surface.
Other features of the invention include retaining means to hold the ribbon holder at the one end of the sleeve element. As disclosed herein, the ribbon holder is disposed within the one end of the sleeve element, and gripping means are provided on the outside of the sleeve element to clamp the sleeve element onto the ribbon holder. In the preferred embodiment, one of the ribbon holders are provided at each opposite end of the sleeve element for both the input and output ribbons.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.